Documente Academic
Documente Profesional
Documente Cultură
set up at the lower level, and a full dia- pilot hole. Stabilizers in the drill string
meter raise is bored upward. Stabilizers prevent bending.
are periodically added to the drill string The BorPak is a relatively new ma-
to reduce oscillation and bending stress- chine for blind hole boring which climbs
es. Cuttings gravitate down the hole and up the raise as it bores. It comprises a
are deflected away from the RBM at the guided boring machine, power unit,
lower level. launch tube and transporter assembly,
Blind shaft boring is used where access conveyor and operator console. Cuttings
to the lower level is limited, or impos- pass through the centre of the machine,
sible. A down reaming system is used, down the raise and launch tube, and onto
in which weights are attached to the the conveyor. The BorPak has the poten-
reamer mandrel. Stabilizers are located tial to bore holes from 1.2 m to 2.0 m-
above and below the weight stack to diameter at angles as low as 30 degrees
ensure verticality of the hole. Cuttings from horizontal. It eliminates the need
are removed using a vacuum or reverse for a drill string and provides the steer-
circulation system. ing flexibility of a raise climber.
Rotary drilling is used for holes up
Boxhole boring. to 250 mm-diameter, and is similar in Raise boring machine
concept to pilot hole drilling in that a bit
production. Standard RBMs are capable is attached to the drill string to excavate The raise boring machine (RBM) pro-
of boring at angles between 45 degrees the required hole size. vides the thrust and rotational forces ne-
and 90 degrees from horizontal, and with Down reaming involves drilling a cessary for boring, as well as the equip-
minor adjustment can actually bore at conventional pilot hole and enlarging it ment and instruments needed to control
angles between 45 degrees and hori- to the final raise diameter by reaming and monitor the process. It is composed
zontal. from the upper level. Larger diameter of five major assemblies: the derrick;
A whole host of methods of mechani- raises are achieved by reaming the pilot the hydraulic, lubrication, and electrical
cal raise and shaft excavation have been hole conventionally, and then enlarging systems; and the control console.
developed around the use of the RBM. it by down reaming. The down reamer The derrick assembly supplies the ro-
These include boxhole boring, blind is fitted with a non-rotating gripper and tational and thrust forces necessary to
shaft boring, rotary drilling, down rea- thrust system, and a torque-multiply- turn the pilot bit and reamer, as well as
ming, pilot up/ream down, pilot down/ ing gearbox driven by the drill string. to raise and lower the drill string. Base-
ream down, hole opening, and BorPak. Upper and lower stabilizers are installed plates, mainframe, columns and head-
to ensure correct kerf cutting and to re- frame provide the mounting structure
Alternative boring duce oscillation. for the boring assembly. Hydraulic cy-
methods Pilot up/ream down was a predeces- linders provide the thrust required for
sor of modern raise boring techniques lowering and lifting the drillstring, and
Boxhole boring is used to excavate raises using standard drilling rigs. Pilot down/ for drilling and reaming. The drive train
where there is limited access, or no access ream down, or hole opening, employs assembly, comprising crosshead, main
at all, to the upper level. The machine is a small diameter reamer to follow the drive motor, and gearbox, supplies the
Ever since the first Robbins raise drill was built in 1962, it
has been a constant success. By meeting customer needs
through innovation, reliability and an unrivalled product
range, we have gained the lion’s share of the global market
– and we intend to keep it that way!
www.raiseboring.com